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6.18.2010

Twilight and Rape

Twilight raped my six year old sister.

Of course this isn't true-- books can't rape people. However, it can-- well, it's not the only book/thing that- affect young women/girls view of themselves and what they think love should be like. We should all wait for "true" love. If that love is a stalking, possibly abusive boyfriend, oh well, that's "true" love. [just search it for sites.]Edward is supposed to be a vampire. As I understand myth, vampires are scary bloodsucking humanoids, who also as I understand, tend to view humans as lesser creatures. Hm, like food. They are predators; they stalk and drink their prey-- humans. Why would they date or be anywhere close to kind to their prey, anyway? So, it's not like it's particularly surprising he wouldn't treat her well. Other things I have heard. It's-- besides the lack of good writing/grammar(which we all know I don't have)-- it's okay for pulp. There are some lulls though.Bela is apparently somewhat of a developed character. (I don't want to say that without the somewhat) After she's with Ed she becomes less of one. In fact two of my friends who read it didn't find the first one all that bad and in the end Ed leaves her and she has to deal with it. But in the other ones Mr. Sparkly comes back. I don't know where Werewolf comes in or what he's like, but I'm pretty sure Bel stays with Ed. Now, if Jacob was a good werewolf guy it should (for being pulp) end with her going with Jake and realizing what a terrible guy Ed was. That would also end with the obvious moral of knowing and being able to avoid abusive relationships (even if they are sexy vampires) Another opinion is that Bel is just a placeholder character for any female to slip into-- "a choose your own adventure novel in disguise" Of course, you can't change what Bel does. If you decide that Jake is hotter you can't go with him. He was a bad guy in an earlier book, no? That still give the element of danger. It would probably still give the element of a rape fantasy. I guess, no rape fantasy would be complete without an abusive guy. One site I saw said that this makes it "romantic" That without him being abusive the story wouldn't continue, because it would be "happily ever after" which, as I understand, is what the last book is like. Alright, so they can't have problems or things to get over and it being all "romantic" without him treating her badly?

This leads me to question my earlier hypothesis of woman having rape fantasies being somewhat genetic. Rape is about power/show of power. Woman are naturally attracted to more powerful men. (although, for some reason, at the moment, I believe that men who rape are more likely to feel powerless and that is why they do it.) A powerful man is more likely to be able to care/protect the child. So, would that make a rape fantasy about having a powerful man to take care of any children? or is it because we have been a relatively "misogynistic" society? (which may somehow have lead to changes in female genetics, possibly, maybe, I don't study these things) Is it because people like Stephanie Meyer write romanticizing abusive relationships. (which, as a side note, American culture does sometimes to rape– romanticizing it.) Stories which are supposed to capture teen sexual tension or whatever. Stories that are generally for girls, show that abusive relationships are romantic and she should be married and with a kid by the time she is, what? 18? was that it? something terrible. She should be en-soi (being in itself, like an object. Simone de Beauvoir) and live only for her husband, who of course is God. And she shouldn't do anything she wants to do– no wait, she should do what she wants to, but she wants to live only for her god. If he is not there she is nothing. He, however can go and do whatever he pleases. Oh, wait, now it's not even a rape fantasy anymore, because now she isn't a person. If this is romance (which is the kind I don't like) then girls should not be interested in it.

Are girls actually influenced by this kind of thing? If Bel is a placeholder character then...